The Abuja-Train 23: Were they rescued or were they released?

‘Practitioners of appeasement, usually…in an ignoble and or cowardly fashion,… attempt to buy off an aggressor…. Appeasement never succeeds for long; the aggressor Always returns demanding for further concessions’- David Carlton

In the recent past, PMB’s ‘yours obediently’ group (not the OBIdients!) has repeatedly assured us that terrorists would be crushed by December 2022, and that PMB would leave Nigeria safer and more secured before 29/5/23. Indeed, PMB reaffirmed those statements when he declared during the 2023 budget presentation that ‘insecurity, especially banditry and kidnapping, will be significantly curtailed before the end of this administration.’

I wondered the kind of magic that would make him do in 7 months, what he couldn’t do in 7 years. And then out of the blues, we were informed about the freedom of the 23 passengers from the ill-fated ‘train-flight’ AK9 of 28/3/22. I share the joys of the captives, who passed through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4); who literarily escaped from the jaws of the lion! I also congratulate the relatives. Unfortunately, one of them was killed by bandits on his way home on the Funtua-Gusau Road, on 8/10/22, just three days after his release from a grueling 190-day captivity. This is an indication that we must not just kill the snake, we must also set its head on fire!

I agree that by this kinetic-induced release, ‘kidnapping incorporated has been legitimized and that we have just given them the certificate of incorporation’

Consequently, a crucial question has emerged. Were the captives released or were they rescued? Curiously, this ‘operation’ was handled by the Chief of Defense Staff Action Committee (CDSAC), whose secretary, was/is Professor Usman Yusuf, an idle civilian like me. It was learnt that bandits shifted the goalpost at the last minute, leading to another round of pleadings and assurances. No further details were given except that the government adopted non-kinetic strategy and deployed social power in the process.

Like in the past when Buratai lectured us on the difference between security and defense, we were lectured on national power, with its natural and social elements, which could be used jointly and/or severally. Nobody told us that there was a prisoner-swap deal. And there was no detailed minute-by-minute account as America did when they ‘deleted’ Osama Bin Laden and his successor, Al-Zawahiri. It is thus obvious that they were released, through the benevolence, of their abductors, softened with some carrots; they were not rescued by our gallant soldiers backed by the federal might.

It then means we have taken our policy of appeasement a notch higher; that the terrorists had shown magnanimity by releasing these unfortunate victims and they would take other captives whenever they wanted; that we have agreed, through body language, that they should go on with their bloody and deadly enterprise. When we remember that the kidnappers had earlier stated that PMB knew what they wanted, that those who attacked the train were the same who attacked Kuje and the rumoured release of 101 BH detainees from detention, it becomes obvious that nothing has changed because the bandits were paid to release the 23 remaining captives.

The payment might not be in cash because they had earlier declared that they did not want cash from the Nigerian government. After the surreptitious release of 101 BH inmates, (6am, 8/10/22) from Kirikiri, the government announced that they had plans to release 30 percent of prison inmates since 75 percent of them were ATM, most of whom broke state laws. There were also rumours that the bandits had earlier received 30 of the detained comrades but failed to release the kidnappees, an indication that there had been behind the scene negotiations all along.

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There were no assurances that it would be the last; there was no ‘never again’ statement; and there was no promise to bring the terrorists to book (this over-clustered book). The bandits, who destroyed our train (funded with Chinese loan), killed our compatriots, collected billions from the kidnappees, overwhelmed aur security officials and ‘finished’ our Kuje Prison, threatened to kidnap our revered president and caused other macroeconomic disruptions, have become anew; all things have passed away (2Cor. 5:17)! No terrorist was killed nor arrested nor charged for military and economic terrorism. Which other way is there to encourage them carry go?

I agree that by this kinetic-induced release, ‘kidnapping incorporated has been legitimized and that we have just given them the certificate of incorporation’. I also agree with the analysis of Brigadier Aliyu Nuhu that ‘The winners are the terrorists who achieved their objectives: cash and freedom of their colleagues, without any human or material loss.’ Let me ask three questions bothering me: Why have some BH terrorist been in detention since 2009? If the government could use social power, why wait till people have died, Kuje Prison desecrated, and families impoverished via ransoms before acting? And finally, why did the government not apply this highly effective social power to Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu?

I wish to observe that we have been managing these diverse terrorists in ways that are intriguing and truly Nigerian, which consequently increase their insuperability. First, it was all excuses and blame-trading by the military and political authorities; then the President advised us not to revenge against the terrorists (admitted to be foreigners) but rather to be accommodative towards them; then Femi Adesina advised that it was better to be alive rather than be a dead land-owner (your life or your land declaration).

Now we have adopted a full-blown laisser-faire model, what our people term ‘egbe-belu ugo belu’ (live and let live)! After all, the great Lai told us that the government knew (and still knows) where the bandits were and later, that they were just as ordinary and harmless as area-boys, who like MTN are everywhere you go, especially in Lagos. That is why those who destroyed our train, killed and impoverished our people were asked to go and sin no more (Jn. 8:11); that is why Ado Alero, a certified bandit declared wanted by Kastina State for killing at least 100 Nigerians, was turbaned with fanfare in Zamfara, and that is why Turgi, another certified terrorist accused the government of betrayal and breach of trust by attacking ‘his camp’.

He averred not to have attacked anybody in the previous 5 months and declared defiantly, “I am ready for peace or war. Whatever the government wants, we can give them a multitude”. Of course, he is justified because the State Deputy Governor, Hassan Nasiha had just canonized him, cleansing him of all iniquities and decorating him as the Peace Maker of the year!

After all, some disgruntled soldiers had squealed that some bandits and BH operatives were ‘government pikins’, who must be handled with care! On Saturday,15/10/22, terrorists attacked Ngulu community in Niger State, killing some and kidnapping others. Three days later (Tuesday, 18/10/20), the bandits notified the terrified community of another ‘visit’ and gave them the date: 30/10/22. What manner of security and peace is this? Is this how we shall have a more secured country before 29/5/23? Remember the warning from Carlton: Appeasement does not work because ‘the aggressor always returns, demanding for further concessions’!